Ever since I went through all the pictures for my son's 8th grade graduation ceremony, I've been filled with such melancholy.
I will never forget when I took my son out in public by myself for the very first time.
He was about two weeks old and I ventured out to the mall. I took him to the bathroom in Dillard's because I knew that they had those big chairs in the seating area. I thought it would be comfy and quiet in case I needed to feed him.
Do you remember being a first time mom and everything had to perfect, structured and carefully planned? Yeah, those days are so long gone. … [Read more...]

This is our last edition of Because Every Day Should be Valentine's Day. In this series of posts, I reached out to 3 of my friends that I know to have pretty happy marriages. I sent them a list of questions to answer without either spouse seeing each other's answers. I have featured a couple for the last 2 Sundays in a row. I keep being amazed after reading their answers at how every couple is different but they all seem to have a couple of things in common; respect and admiration for one another. These marriages have stood the test of time. The longer they are married, the more they fall … [Read more...]

This morning, I read the headlines that Helen Gurley Brown passed away at the age of 90.
I found myself thinking about what an impact she had on my life and the life of so many other young women. I have four older sisters and one of them was bound to buy the latest edition of Cosmopolitan Magazine and bring it home and hide it in their room. I would always find it and read it from cover to cover. I just knew that our mother would not approve since the articles were a little racy for our little part of the world in East Texas.
Mrs. Brown was the Editor of the magazine while I was an avid … [Read more...]

My niece Chelsea is graduating high school today. She is walking across the same stage I did twenty- nine years ago. What an amazing young lady she has turned out to be. Her parents did a wonderful job in raising her.
Where has the time gone?
She has always seemed so wise beyond her years. She has such poise and a presence about her that you immediately experience upon meeting her in person. I am so anxious to see what wonderful things she has waiting for her in the future.
There is something magical about your college years that you don’t realize and appreciate until later on in life … [Read more...]

I was feeling overwhelmed with birthday parties and the kids school and sports activities. I called for an emergency date night on Saturday night. I just wanted a casual meal with my man that wasn't rushed or one I didn't have to cook. I wanted to go somewhere and hold hands and pretend that we have absolutely no responsibilities whatsoever for at least a few hours. I have never called it this before so the hubby (aka the Big Stud) was a little worried. He said, "What exactly makes it an emergency?" I assured him that it didn't involve talking about his feelings. Of course with this … [Read more...]

If you need some ideas as to what to get your wife for Valentine's Day, I have some tips for you. I got these ideas from a very scientific survey, the 21st century kind, I asked all my Facebook friends. Most of their answers weren't much of a surprise but they all had a consistent tone. They don't necessarily want material things.
Here is a summary of their answers:
*Take time to plan an entire date- Going out is a lot of work, especially if you have young children. Find the babysitter and make the dinner plans. She won't have to do a thing. She will find this sexy. I … [Read more...]

This year the hubby and I will be married 18 years. I can’t believe it. The fact that time has flown by so quickly or that we have somehow managed to cruise along with some pretty big bumps in the road is not taken for granted. Throughout the years, marriage and how to keep it happy has often been the topic of many gatherings with my girlfriends. Every marriage is different, but there seems to be some common themes and pieces of advice that I would love to share with you. I am in no way an expert in this area, but by Hollywood standards 18 years of marriage would automatically qualify me to be … [Read more...]

Let's face it, most men do not enjoy shopping. If you need evidence of this then go to any mall and see who is sitting outside the stores patiently or not so patiently waiting on the women to wrap things up,literally. I can't assume what all women want for a gift but I can certainly give you advice on what NOT to get the females in your house. I still laugh about my brother buying our Mom a gift on Christmas Eve at 5:30 in the afternoon at Eckerd Drugs because it was the only place in town left open. He somehow thought that our Mom needed an off brand electric skillet which she of course … [Read more...]